She attended Vassar College and received her AB in 1899[5] and completed her MA at Columbia University in 1901.
She then conducted research at Columbia University on classical sculpture and was awarded her PhD in 1911.
In 1911 Spaulding was the first woman with a PhD to be appointed as a professor at Colorado College.
While at Colorado College Spaulding was the resident faculty member at Ticknor Hall.
[1] Spaulding was awarded the Agnes Hoppin Memorial Fellowship in 1902 at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.